We are in Colombia.

We are safely reunited with our vehicles and parked in a fine
secure 24 hour parking lot almost on the beach in Cartagena at Bocagrande, Ave.
Malecon, #7-12 (near the Hotel Capilla Del Mar, just across the road from the
sand sculptures). (For others intending to use this parking area, please note
that it is probably going to be developed into a hotel or apartment block so
may not still be here when you arrive. N 10.402918 W 75.556028).

After leaving our vehicles on the
docks at Colon we took a taxi to the New Washington Hotel, an oasis of decaying
charm beside the canal, amidst a very non-charming city (nobody has to tell you
not to go out at night, but they do anyway!)

Rather than risk public transport back to Panama City (with all
our documents, computers, cameras etc.) we opted for a taxi. Rather than just a
direct taxi journey we opted for a Servicio Especial de Taxi de
Turismo and a visit to the three sets of locks along the Panama
Canal.

Our driver was Guillermo Stephen (known to his friends as Gato,
Mobile: 6587 9056) who spoke very good English and was a mine of information
about the canal. Ask for him at the hotel reception desk.

After two nights in Panama City, we left for the airport and our
flight to Cartagena (unfortunately delayed for six hours.) Whilst in Panama
City we had contacted (by e-mail) the Cartagena agent of the shipping line, as
recommended by Evelyn.

Raymundo Barreto recommended the Barlovento Hotel in Cartagena
(+57 5 665 3965, e-mail: reservas (at) hotelbarlovento.com
www.hotelbarlovento.com They don't answer their e-mail, but
they do answer the phone! The hotel is friendly, small, reasonably priced and
near the 24 hour parking above.

On our first morning in Cartagena we took a taxis to the CATNAVES
office. Raymundo explained (in good English) the procedure for getting our
vehicles out of the port and what would need to be paid and to whom. (All costs
below in $ USA and per vehicle.)

We had to pay $60 to CATNAVES for their part in landing the
vehicles.

We had to appoint a customs agent. Raymundo recommended the
company next door, took us round to see them, explained what was wanted (in
Spanish) and they allocated us a Mr. Wilmar Camacho (or XCJ75A as we came to
think of him. This was his motorcycle registration number also emblazoned on
his fluorescent safety jacket.). Cost $50.

For the first stage of the operation we waited in the CATNAVES
offices whilst XCJ75A took our documents to various offices and returned with
forms for us to sign. At lunch time Clive and I decamped to the Cartagena Yacht
Club marina (about 300 metres from the office). An interesting place to sit and
watch the world sail by, far more like an RV park than my image of a "Yacht
Club".

On our return, we followed XCJ75A in a taxi to a nearby customs
office, smiled at various people and signed where we told to sign. Then, again
in a taxi following XCJ75A, we drove to the docks. Here we sat in a central
area whilst XCJ75A ran between offices occasionally summoning us to sign forms
or add our index finger-print to them. As closing time approached, XCJ75A
called upon the help of one of his colleague/competitors to speed things up.
Eventually we ended up paying $120 for port fees and $25 for "late processing"
(there were computer printed receipts with our names on them for both
payments). All payments at the docks had to be made in Colombian Pesos (there
is an ATM near CATNAVES office).

By 19:00 we able to drive K-Nine
and Mog out of the dock gates. Both vehicles were in good condition and at no
point we they inspected internally! The drive from the port to our secure
parking area would have been a nightmare without the motorcycle and fluorescent
jacket of XCJ75A to follow.

Thank you very much Wilmar for efforts well beyond the call of
duty.

After one day sorting out the vehicles and our route south, we
explored the extraordinarily beautiful old walled-city of Cartagena. Described
as "more Spanish than Spain" and a World Heritage Site.

Stephen
Stewart.

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